How To Afford A Home in 2024 America

                                                                      

Never in the history of America has home ownership been so far out of reach for most Americans. The American Dream has become a nightmare. And it is not just because of inflation - several factors are at work: employment by Americans is at a low as most jobs created since 2021 have gone to migrants and those millions of migrants are causing a housing shortage. And then there is high mortgage rates and increased regulations. Affordable homes have become a needle in a haystack.

All in all, it's enough to make a hard working person fall into despair. If only there was a way to make a home more affordable. Oh! Wait...there are actually several ways to make homes more affordable, and as a real estate investor who has spent over half a century devising and using such methods I present a few here, to show you the possibilities and perhaps awaken your imagination. My clients have used these and other strategies I teach for over 35 years. These methods are not taught by "gurus" like Than Merrrill (FortuneBuilders) or Armando Montelongo

While this is just a blog I cannot go into the details in each method, but these and several more are covered in full detail in my real estate investing course, "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate."

Get the down payment from the property. Many properties have valuable assets such as timber. Contact a local logging company to see if they would be interested buying/harvesting the timber. If they do, it is a simple matter to put the option for them to harvest into escrow, and they put the funds into escrow. When closing on the property, the logger gets the timber contract and you get the funds to use as the down payment. Or perhaps there is an old barn on the property - you can make a similar arrangement for the barn - old barn boards and timbers command a high price.

Equity share the property. I provide details on this powerful strategy in this blog post: https://success-by-design.blogspot.com/2021/08/can-you-buy-real-estate-without-cash-or.html

Barter or trade for the down payment. If you are a builder, offer your services to the seller to build a quality deck on his new home or do other work to increase the value of the new residence (or his rental properties). Or trade that second car you don't need, or the boat that is a drain on your wallet. And don't think you are restricted to bartering your services, either. If the seller doesn't want a deck but he needs braces for his daughter, perhaps a local dentist needs a deck that he will trade for dental work. You build the dentist's deck, and give the dental services you earn to the seller in exchange for that amount of the down payment.
 

Agree to pay off the seller's debts. I once encountered a seller who was selling a rental unit in order to pay off his extensive credit card debt of nearly $33K. I agreed to take responsibility for those debts and pay them off. I then contacted the creditors and arranged to pay each off at a huge discount by paying them in lump sum cash. Most creditors will agree. I paid off the $33K for just over $12,400. So, for $12,400 I got $33K knocked off the purchase price, saving me over $20K

Sweat Equity. If you have some some useful building skills, locate a property that needs a fair amount of work (avoid structural issues) and arrange with the seller that you will supply "X" dollars in labor to fix up the place in exchange for the same amount applied to the down payment. He cannot lose - if you default he ends up with a more valuable property, and if all goes well, he has a built-in buyer.

Buy the house but lease the land. This is done in Hawai'i all the time, because the limited amount of land is so valuable. But it can be done anywhere.It can often reduce the amount of mortgage required by as much as 50% or more

These are just a sampling of methods I have taught for many years, and some of my other methods are even better - some are simpler.

If homeownership is your dream, "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" can help make it a reality. Check it out - what do you have to lose by looking? More to the point, what do you stand to lose by NOT looking? But it would be wise not to tarry - the open border is increasing housing demand and reducing supply and time is running out...

 

[Bill Vaughn has been investing in real estate since1969 and has taught over 135,000 people how to do so. He has written numerous real estate books and articles and self-help manuals like his free "Success - By Design", which has been downloaded by over 4 million people]

Real Estate Investing Made Simple - and Risk Free

Until now, learning how to invest in real estate has been either a risky or costly venture - or both.  Late-night infomercial gurus like Than Merrill's Fortunebuilders  and Armando Montelongo charge up to $35,000 for their entire program. Most others charge at least $5,000-$15,000. And "newbies" determined to do it "on their own" without the "know-how" of experience will likely lose his or her money. Let's face it - if you have that kind of money to invest, you should be investing it into real estate, and not stuffing some guru's pocket.

The lowest cost (and effective) program - Bill Vaughn's "Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" - has been under $100 complete (including mentoring) for over 30 years, and provides more than all the other gurus - ALL 24 legitimate methods in detail, mentoring, software for purchase agreements plus 24 real estate related bonus books. 

But even that can be a stiff price for many in this period of high unemployment, high inflation and low incomes. Being a non-profit, we decided that for a limited time only, we would offer our program for just enough to "keep the office lights on" in order to help more people in these difficult times. And that is exactly why Bill has cut the cost of the "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" program to $29.95. That's a savings of a whopping 70%.

Even better - 8 of the real estate investing methods we teach do not require your cash or credit. There is no risk involved, unlike the infomercial gurus that want you to max out your cards.

We have sold over 140,000 copies at $99.95, and our clients have made a lot of money, even without cash or credit. Like Russell, a homeless man in Wilmington MA, unemployed and destitute who pocketed $16,900 on his first no money down deal. And Homero, who got this certified check for $10,000 in less than two weeks on a property he did not even own. Or this deal that netted a whopping $100,500 net!

We cannot say how long we can make this offer available, so if investing in real estate and boosting your income to 7 figures has even been a dream of yours, today would be a good time to start. Whereas real estate only takes a couple of hours a week, you need not quit your current job until you no longer need it.  So if it has ever been your dream to live a life without time clocks and with both money and the freedom to enjoy it, there will never be a better opportunity than this.

Check it out for yourself - it costs nothing to look. But the potential cost of not looking can be very high. Think about it - for less than the cost of ordering a couple of pizzas you could be on your way to financial independence...

 

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5 Completely Free Real Estate ebooks

 

Buying real estate can be intimidating, whether buying your own home, or investing for profit. But it does not need to be if you learn from a pro and are well-armed with know-how. These completely free books, provided by IntelliBiz, (the only source for "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" the #1 real estate investing program for over 30 years) are jam-packed with the same kind of helpful information that millions of people have come to expect from "The Simple Man's Guide" series of books and courses. Take as many as you like. We do not ask for your email address or any contact information and you do not have to sign up for anything. All we ask is that you respect our copyrights. You do, however, have permission to pass this post on, without additions, subtractions or changes to anyone you believe can benefit from it.

If you do not have Adobe Reader, it is available free right here. Enjoy!

NOTE: The .PDF ebooks are rather large files - you may want to download them and read them at your leisure.

"The Simple Man's Guide to Buying an Older House"

"The Simple Man's Guide to Buying Country Land"

"The Simple Man's Guide to Selling A Home - For Sale By Owner"

"The Simple Man's Guide to Home Buying & Home Ownership"

"Success - by Design"

We hope you enjoy these free eBooks. if you want the most powerful, complete real estate investing course available, don't forget to order "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate", on sale today for under $100 complete, including free mentoring - as a non-profit, our mentors are all professional investors who volunteer to help others succeed.

We hope you find value in these free ebooks as over 4 million already have.

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How to Beat The High Price of a Home

With every passing day the cost of buying a home increases as inflation, government spending and rising interest rates push prices to unheard of heights, pricing all but the affluent out of the market. Fortunately there are several ways to overcome the barriers to home ownership.

One such method requires finding a motivated seller and educating him in an alternative that can benefit both buyer and seller. With prices so high, buyers become scarce which places sellers between a rock and a hard place, resulting in a motivated seller. Ideally, the seller owns the home free and clear or with a small remaining mortgage, which is often the case with empty-nest elders.

The general concept for this method is often used in Hawai'i, where land is scarce and those who own it do not want to part with it, so they sell only the house and lease the land to the buyer, usually under a lifetime or other long-term lease. Think about that for a moment...

The seller benefits because he gets his house sold and the lease on the land supplements his income, which is particularly good for elders on a fixed income. The buyer benefits because he is only buying the house, which is considerably less expensive than the entire property. It also means it would be easier to qualify for the smaller mortgage.

Once you have found the right seller, the first step is to determine what portion of the value is the house, and which portion the land. In the following scan of an actual tax card, you will see the land is valued at $23,600 and the house at $138,500 for a total value of $162,100. Bear in mind, tax valuations are rarely accurate valuations, as tax values are normally determined by a formula that is discounted. That does not matter - what is important are the percentages. In the case of the property shown, the house represents roughly 85% of the overall value. Bear in mind in many cases the value of the land is often equal to or even greater than the value of the house. If that were true in this case, the house value could be as low as $81,000, making for a much smaller mortgage.

click to enlarge

Assuming the real value - and the asking price of the property - is $219,000, the house, alone, is valued at $186,150. This represents a savings to the buyer of $32,850 - a big mark down. Assuming a mortgage (currently 7.7%) with $20,000 down, PITI would be $1424.35 as opposed to $1673.83 if buyer purchases the entire property. If the buyer negotiates a long-term lease at $100/month, buyer saves $149.48 each month in addition to saving the $32,850.

Your agreement could include terms that allow you to purchase the land at some point at a predetermined price. It could also include a stipulation that if you ever sell or the home is otherwise transferred, the landowner gets first dibs to buy it at the market value at that time. If he chooses not to, the lease shall be transferable to the new owner of the house.

This is just one of several methods taught, in detail, in "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate". Choose the strategy that suits your situation best.

"The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" has been training investors and home buyers since 1989, and is an invaluable real estate aid. It even includes free mentoring and software that creates perfect offers every time. And unlike the $35,000 cost of Than Merrill's FortuneBuilders or Armando Montelogo's program, "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" is offered on a not-for-profit basis for under $100. You simply cannot find another instructional training aid for less anywhere on the planet.

If you have come to this blog, you are likely interested in finding a way to homeownership, so you owe it to yourself to at least check it out - doing so is free! 

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REAL ESTATE INVESTING: Is "No Money Down" Really a Myth?

                                                          brought to you by IntelliBiz

Ask 100 people on the street if they believe it possible to buy real estate with no cash down and 98% will say "no". Ask 100 real estate attorneys, and my 57 years of experience tells me about 90% will say "no". Ask 100 real estate investors, and the vast majority will also say "no".

What do they all those "nays" have in common? A healthy dose of ignorance founded on skepticism. One other thing they have in common - they are all what I like to call...WRONG! What is more - I can prove it, because I and my students do it all the time.

My name is Bill Vaughn, and I have been investing in real estate since Moses was a lad and Moby Dick was a pollywog. Well, 55 years SEEMS that long sometimes. And I have used my experience to personally train over 86,000 people over the last 34 years to be able to make a lot of money and cut the corporate apron strings, providing them with independence and the money to enjoy it. My inexpensive ($99) program, "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" provides everything a person needs for real estate success. More to the point, it teaches all 24 legitimate methods of investing in property, and eight of them do not require cash or good credit!

That's right - my students know how to purchase properties and make sizeable profits without having to part with any of their cash (in fact, many of them had NO cash when they started).

Now, I don't expect you to just  take my word for it - I will show you one "no cash" method right here and now, and before this post is done, there will be documented proof that anyone can make 'no cash' deals. Bear in mind, this is a general breakdown - "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" fills in all the details, provides all the forms and includes free lifetime mentoring, just in case you require more specific assistance.

METHOD 19

This is more complex than most "no cash" transactions I teach. 

 In every community there are people who earn large incomes - doctors, lawyers, consultants etc. Many of these people have something else in common, as well - they pay higher taxes, and often are in the market for a good investment that also shields them from some of those taxes. This is where you can make some very easy money, quickly, as such people usually do not have the time to seek out and buy an investment property on their own. They are just waiting for someone like you to come along and make it all happen. Here's how...

Locate a nice property in a good blue collar neighborhood, 3 or more bedrooms (blue collar neighborhoods are in more demand and are quicker and easier). For purposes of an example, let's say you found the perfect place - the market value is $250,000.

STEP 1: Make an offer to purchase the property outright, for $225,000 CASH at closing - cash sales usually command a discount of at least 10%. As soon as you have a signed purchase agreement...

STEP 2: Get in touch with these big income folks and let them know that you have a prime single family rental in a good neighborhood that would make not only an excellent investment, but would also shelter some of their income from taxes. You could even produce a brochure about the property and the deal. Offer to sell them a share in the $250,000 property - you will offer up 9 of the 10 shares at $25,000 each (the 10th share is yours as the general partner). They can either pay cash, or they can obtain a mortgage using their own credit. Their 9 shares pay for the property in full. An investor can purchase more than one share. "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" provides information on setting up a simple partnership to facilitate such a transaction and protect your interests.

You will rent the place out for the partnership, collect the rents and otherwise manage the investment for five years in which each partner (including yourself) reaps a share of the rental profits , at which time you will sell the property and they (and you) will also receive shares of the profits from appreciation and equity. Meanwhile, you charge a small management fee equal to about 10% of the rents.

So far, you own $25,000 worth of the property, you are receiving approximately 10% of the net rents as a partner, another 10% as manager, and 10% of the appreciation and any additional equity at the end of the term. Not bad for not having paid a dime. And it gets better - you can do this many times!

STEP 3: If you were on the ball you had already advertised for a tenant and one is waiting to move in (perhaps even you). You thereafter manage the property and take your management fee and your share of the net rents out of the monthly rents. Food for thought - you could likely afford to live in this great property at a bargain by applying your share of the rent and your management fee to your rental payment.

Oh - and don't forget - once you sell one of these investment properties, those same investors will likely want to do it again. Ready-made investors, begging to give you money.

DOCUMENTATION:
See how Russell, a homeless man, made $16,900 on his first "no cash" deal in under 30 days

And Homero received this certified check for $10,000 this certified check for $10,000 on his first "no cash" transaction in just 2 weeks

Visit "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" for more information, and while you are there you can grab some free books.

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Self-Managing an IRA Property vs Hiring a Property Manager

 

 
Brought to you by "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" and Safeguard Advisors

If you have a copy of "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate Investing" you know dozens of methods for investing profitably in real estate, even if you have no cash and less-than-stellar credit. And if you have a self-directed IRA or 401K, you can use those methods to invest and have the profits tax deferred, building wealth exponentially.

If you’ve recently purchased a rental property with your self-directed IRA, then you probably have an important question on your mind:

Should I self-manage my IRA property, or hire a property manager?

The truth is, this is an ongoing question with no easy answer. Your decision should be based on several different factors, including the time and skills you possess for property management, your budgeting goals, and the type of control you desire over your property. And there are legal and tax considerations.

There are advantages to either self-managing or hiring a professional property manager. On one hand, you can exercise more control and potentially save money by self-managing. On the other, you can offload the work of managing your rental to a professional, and keep yourself fully at arm’s length from your IRA investment.

Managing your IRA property isn’t the same as managing a personally owned rental. With a self-directed IRA rental there are specific IRS rules that limit how you are allowed to interact with your rental’s upkeep and management.

Let’s explore important differences between self-managing your IRA property and hiring a property manager, and how you can decide which option is best for you.

What is the Role of a Property Manager?

A big part of making the decision between self-managing your IRA property and choosing a property manager comes down to having a realistic understanding of the role of a property manager, and deciding if you are the best person to fill that role.

On a high-level, the role of a property manager includes the following responsibilities:

•     Setting rent rates
•     Marketing your rental property
•     Vetting new tenants
•     Collecting rent
•     Hiring contractors for any maintenance issues
•     Managing move-outs and evictions

Self-Managing Your IRA Property

When you choose to self-manage your IRA property, you have full control, but also full responsibility.

Rather than rely on a property manager to implement their own procedures regarding vetting renters, gathering rent, evicting tenants and more, you can directly handle these various facets of tenant management.

Self-managing your property also means the potential to save money on the cost of a property manager by handling all administrative tasks yourself.

However, you’ll need to make sure you stay in-step with important IRS rules regarding your interaction with your IRA property.

Hiring a Property Manager for Your IRA Rental Property

When you hire a property manager, you’re bringing in specialized experience to help ensure high-quality management of your property and tenant relations. With a professional property manager, you also receive a built-in infrastructure for managing leases, rents, evictions and more.

Although a property manager comes with a price, you can offload the time, energy and headaches it can take to manage your rental property yourself.

However, you need to be sure to identify a quality property manager.  There are many less-than-stellar property managers in the field, and choosing the wrong one can create exposure to the risk of compliance violations, bad tenants, and fraud.

Making sure you take time to properly vet any potential property manager will protect you, your property, your tenants, and your IRA.

How Much Do I Save if I Manage My IRA Property?

One of the key reasons many investors choose to self-manage their IRA property is the perceived cost savings associated with eliminating property management fees.

As the property manager, you can offer showings, screen tenants, sign leases, select vendors, pay bills, and receive rental income.

If you believe you can effectively manage these tasks and get the best tenants in your units, then saving on management fees may make sense.

However, per IRS regulations, you can’t work on your IRA property yourself. Any work needed on your property will need to be hired out to contractors who are not disqualified persons to your IRA.

Keep in mind… when you self-manage your IRA property, you can’t pay yourself for your management services through your IRA rental income.

When evaluating the cost of a property manager, you need to take into consideration the amount of time you will spend on the administrative side of running your property. If you can do more productive things – such as finding other profitable deals for your IRA – rather than spend time chasing down rent checks and hiring plumbers, then perhaps the tradeoff leans in favor of hiring a property manager.

IRS Restrictions for Managing Your IRA Property

The decision on whether to self-manage is different for an IRA than it may be for a personally-owned property due to IRS rules.

As with IRA-owned investment, you need to keep yourself at arm’s length from your IRA’s rental property. Administratively speaking, you can act as the property manager by hiring contractors, vetting renters, collecting rent, and more.

However, as mentioned above, you can’t inject value into your property through provision of goods and services.

Whether it’s mowing the lawn, fixing the roof, or cleaning between tenants, all maintenance tasks will need to be handled by an unrelated 3rd party.

If you believe you can perform these tasks with quality and care (and while staying in compliance with IRS rules regarding IRA property management), then you may be a good fit to self-manage your own property.

But if your time and energy would be better spent elsewhere, then a property manager can expertly handle these responsibilities for you.

Compliance Considerations for a Property Manager

There are many legal issues that impact landlord-tenant interaction at the federal, state, and local level.

A quality property manager will be well-versed in the law and implement processes accordingly. They’ll have compliant leases, disclosures, and screening process in place for things like fair housing rules, anti-discrimination and more.

If you plan on self-managing your property, you should ask yourself if you have the capacity to follow these legal considerations as a landlord to your IRA rental property.

Get Legal Guidance

If you choose to self-manage, seek the guidance of a qualified real estate attorney knowledgeable about the laws in your jurisdiction.

For example, you don’t want to learn the hard way that your leases aren’t compliant with local law, and therefore deemed unenforceable.

If you’re considering self-managing your IRA property, look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself these important questions: Can I do a good job as a property manager? Do I have the time, energy and skills to adequately manage these tasks? Am I really the best person for this job?

The honest answer to these questions will help guide your decision for your IRA property.

Whether you choose to self-manage your property or hire a property manager, it’s important to regularly inspect your rental property to ensure your investment’s long-term success. Here are tips on the types of inspections you or your property manager should be performing.

 

 

So You Want A Country Bug-Out Place, But...

With all the chaos going on at home and abroad lately - Covid, war, vaccine deaths, incompetent government, inflation, the looming threat of CBDC, food shortages - most people who don't already live in a rural, country location are wishing they had such a place to escape to if and when the proverbial excrement hits the proverbial spinning blades. But for any one of a variety of reasons you don't think it is possible to buy or own such a place where you can grow your own food, cut firewood for heat and have a few chickens for eggs or other livestock and be far away from any likely nuclear target. Maybe you are short on cash, long on debt and your credit isn't good enough, so you shrug your shoulders and hope it all goes away.

It will not go away. It will likely get worse - much worse - and you know it. So allow me to be very clear - regardless of your current circumstances I can practically guarantee you can acquire a place in  "the sticks" if you have the desire.

"The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" is an inexpensive (under $150) course that, in addition to free, lifetime mentoring and contract software, includes 24 different methods to acquire real estate, and eight of the methods do not require cash or credit to buy property. It also includes 24 free real estate related bonus ebooks, including books on what to look for and evaluate in an older home, or just buying country land, so you neutralize risk and do not make costly mistakes - books you can download from their site even if you do not order their course - they truly are 100% free. Or just download them here...

You will not find any of this in Than Merrill's FortuneBuilders or Armando Montelongo's $35,000 courses. And that is just as well because if you have $35k to blow on either of those, you would not even need them at all.

"The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" is unique as it is offered on a not-for-profit basis, is affordable, and has successfully taught over 319,000 people over the last 34 years. Checking it out for yourself is a favor you should do for yourself and your loved ones.

 

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